Teaninich 11 Years Old ChWh (Chorlton Whisky)

A Teaninich single malt, an independent Chorlton Whisky bottling, an 11 year old and bottled at 57.5%. 187 bottles in all. Teaninich was established in 1817 in the northern Highlands at Alness, and it has long been prized by blenders. It was founded by Blind Captain Hugh Munro, a Napoleonic veteran, on his Teaninich estate.

The spirit was run from a clear wort through the distillery's tall stills, to build a clean, waxy, grassy character. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, with vanilla under the grassy spirit. At this age the spirit is fresh and green, cut grass and citrus to the fore. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the grassy, waxy core over time. Teaninich Castle nearby, once the family seat, is now a hotel and restaurant. Robert Innes Cameron, an Elgin blender, became sole owner in 1904. The Munro family ran the distillery through two generations before selling. The Cromarty Firth nearby is one of few UK waters home to bottlenose dolphins.

At 57.5%, undiluted, it is deep and grassy. A grassy, waxy freshness sit alongside soft vanilla and honey from the cask. A green tea and a lemon note lift it. It closes clean, grassy and waxy. This is the green tea malt of Easter Ross.